Episode 41: My Baby Takes the Mornin’ Train

One of the best surviving examples of oral tradition, or passing cultural information by word of mouth, are jokes. The classic story of ‘The Baby Train’ is definitely an urban legend with a punchline, even if it’s a hokey one. Jaded as we are today, it’s still easy to imagine your off-beat uncle recounting the story of a town full of babies, whose conception was inspired by having an unwanted alarm, an early morning train, and nothing better to do than… You know, make babies. Have there ever been microscopic baby booms? We’ll explore one inspired by a dead Canadian millionaire, and take a look at how seemingly trivial things like weather, can effect population growth. Join us as we take a look at the real-life baby trains carrying New York’s foundlings across America, and how they compare to this light-hearted legend.